Six degrees of separation

**87th PVI** · January 26th, 2009, 04:07 PM

The movie game thread got me thinking of the six degrees of separation theory. For anyone who hasn't heard of it, it is a theory that says that every person living on the planet likely connects to one another within 6 degrees of separation or less. They say that if you look hard enough you can link anyone to anyone this way including those in remote jungle tribes, etc.

An example would be you know your sister (first degree) and she knows her boss at her job (second degree) who once dated a stewardess (three degrees) who took a taxi in London (fourth degree) the driver of which also once transported Tony Blair's secretary (fifth degree) who of course works for the former Prime Minister of the UK (sixth degree), so you can connect yourself to Tony Blair in 6 degrees.
That one is totally made up but here are some real ones that start with me:

It works with those who have passed too... In interviewing people for the book I'm working on, I met and shook the hand of a lovely older lady (1st degree) who's grandfather, who used to hold her on his lap and bounce her on his knee (2nd degree) was a civil war vet who was fortunate enough to meet and shake the hand of President Lincoln at his second inaugration (3rd degree) So I'm only separated from Lincoln by three degrees... The possibilities are endless when you think about all the people who met Lincoln and so on for three more degrees. I'm just a fourth degree from Andrew Johnson, U.S. Grant, Lincoln's cabinet, most of the top Union commanders, etc...Even John Wilkes Booth

A fifth degree via Grant takes me to Robert E. Lee, and so on & so on.

I have a relative I interviewed for my family genealogy (1st degree) who was a limo driver for awhile during WWII. He once drove Eisenhower (2nd degree) and has a great story about how Ike told him to pull up to the steps of the building and he pointed out that there was a huge mud puddle there & Ike said this is an American car made for the US Army a little mud won't hurt it... after returning to the car after the meeting (with three other high ranking generals) they got in & the car would not go. Ike asked what was wrong & my grandma's cousin said we're stuck in that mud puddle sir. He started to get out & Ike asked what he was doing & he said going to get some help to get us out sir. Ike told him he's a driver & to get back in & drive. Ike said with a chuckle I told you to pull in here so I guess I'll have to be the one to get us out & he then told the other generals to get out & help push! There he was... a corporal driving a limo being pushed by Eisenhower, and three other generals. All he could think of was that they were going to get in with their damn muddy boots & he'd have to clean that mess up later!
Anyway, back to the degrees of separation... Ike met many many world leaders and they in turn met many other world leaders etc. so I have three degrees from Churchill, FDR, Truman, JFK, Khrushchev, Queen Elizabeth, etc

If you've met one celeb then you're probably able to connect to everyone in Hollywood via the projects they work on and parties, awards and charity events they attend.

I met Drew Carry twice as well as a few others over the years, and I have one degree of separation from Will Smith (a woman I work with used to work at the convience store that he and other celebs frequented in LA) Etc Etc.

Something cool to think about... any other ponderings on the subject out there?

**Hawk** · January 26th, 2009, 05:05 PM

For the deceased too? Try linking anyone alive to Jesus

j/k. The 6 degrees would be limited to someone in the 17th - 18th century.

**PA Rifleman** · January 26th, 2009, 10:25 PM

For Hollywierd:
http://oracleofbacon.org/

Explanation:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six_Degrees_of_Kevin_Bacon

**87th PVI** · January 26th, 2009, 10:37 PM

Originally Posted by PA Rifleman

For Hollywierd:
http://oracleofbacon.org/

Explanation:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six_Degrees_of_Kevin_Bacon

LOL even mary Pickford & Charlie Chaplin are only separated from Kevin Bacon by 3 degrees.

**87th PVI** · January 26th, 2009, 10:49 PM

Originally Posted by Hawk

For the deceased too? Try linking anyone alive to Jesus

j/k. The 6 degrees would be limited to someone in the 17th - 18th century.

Might even be able to get back before 1600 if you can find the right route! I knew my great grandmother who was born in 1893 & died in 1993... If she as a child knew anyone around 100 years old and they knew a very elderly person in their childhood & so on... with 6 degrees you could theoretically get back 600 years if the right route were taken. I know that under normal circumstances the earlier one goes in history the shorter the life span generally was but...I had several ancestors live to their late nineties and past 100. One was 104 when she died in 1826.
Just looking quickly at my own genealogy & who my great grandmother would have known as a child & so on, I can get from me to the early 18th century (1720's) in 4 degrees, and that's with not even trying hard.

**ar15jules** · January 26th, 2009, 11:02 PM

I find the six degrees to be true quite often.
Jules

**RandomTask** · January 26th, 2009, 11:20 PM

I'm one degree from probably every metal band in Finland.

**87th PVI** · January 27th, 2009, 12:16 AM

Originally Posted by RandomTask

I'm one degree from probably every metal band in Finland.

Are/were you a Touring Artist, roadie, or uber fan?

**RandomTask** · January 27th, 2009, 12:24 AM

Originally Posted by 87th PVI

Are/were you a Touring Artist, roadie, or uber fan?

I have a friend who works with -H-I-M- on a regular basis and has worked with The Rasmus, Apocalyptica and Turisas, plus a large number of non-Finnish bands. He invited me out to meet -H-I-M- several times and I went camping with them one weekend. Cool bunch of guys.